Event Article

Steve Porter got a big break in his acting career when he was chosen for the lead in the upcoming FC production of "Our Town."

This will be the first play that he has performed in at FC. Porter is 19 and received his acting experience while attending Loara High School in Anaheim.

Porter's modesty was apparent in the way that he spoke. He was reluctant to admit that the reason behind him getting the lead was because of his talent. Instead, he chose to say tht his height was the deciding factor. He felt that being 5'6" tall made it difficult for him to portray any other character.

Ten other people tried out for the part of the philosophical druggist. Since Porter was one of the least experienced he was pleasantly surprised when he was chosen for the part. "I had no idea that I would get a part at all," remarked Porter.

Porter enjoys working with the cast and says, "They're all very good. We really have a lot of talent out there. They help me a lot because this is my first college play and I'm just a rookie."

Describing the production director, George Archambeault, Porter says, "I'd heard he was a real tyrant, but he is really good. He works well with actors because he himself is an actor. He's very encouraging."

Porter talks about acting as a career and about the difficulties one enounters when trying to break into the acting profession. "It's really kind of depressing sometimes because there are so many actors out there and so few of them actually make it big. When I watch TV, I look at these guys (the actors) and I think how I'd love to be in that position. But it's so difficult because everyone (actors and actresses) has the same dream."

He feels that "the Drama Department at FC has a great deal of talent, but that it will be difficult for all of them to fulfill their aspirations of being "stars." "Everybody wants to act with the Jack Nicholsons and Al Pacinos, but it's kind of heartbreaking, because it's almost impossible to achieve."

Porter feels that the play is different in the respect that it is not typical of what one might see at the movies or on TV. "This play is a classic in American theatre. It takes place in a small town in New Hampshire in the early 1900's. It's about life itself and the way that people take it for granted. People seem to think that they have a million years to live."

"Our Town" is a stepping-stone for Porter because he plans to attend California State University, Fullerton and continue his education in the theatre. "There's so much I'd like to learn and so much more experience that I hope to acquire."

His goal is to make it really big in motion pictures, and he explains, "It would be great to someday go back to high school and have made it big and have everyone say, 'Hey, there goes Steve Porter; he used to' go here."

Porter feels that it's hard to measure one's ability in acting because there is no real scale by which to measure. "In sports there are statistics that can be indications as to the ability of a person.

Whereas, in acting, the measure of a person's skill is pretty much based on someone's opinion of you."

Thorton Wilder's "Our Town" will be shown in the Fullerton College Campus Theatre at 8 p.m. on March 18,19,23,24,25, and 26.

Steve Porter plays the part of the town druggist and other members of the cast include Charles Baugh as Dr. Gibbs; Jim Ray as Joel Crowell; Geoff Brown as Howie Newsome; and Nedda as Mrs. Gibbs.